There'll Always Be A Batman
by GoldGuardian2418
Summary: Bat-Mite is still haunted by the memory of seeing Batman die so many times and goes to his idol to check on him and see if he's okay. Post episode "Emperor Joker!"


**I got this idea after watching the Batman: The Brave And The Bold episode "Emperor Joker!". Now, I know Bat-Mite is usually jovial and all, but that episode showed how he can get really scared and sad, moreso than "Legends Of The Dark-Mite!" I kid you not. **

**Anyway, on with the story! Batman: The Brave And The Bold belongs to Warner Bros and DC Comics. Also, Batman will act a little OOC in this story. And please be gentle, this is my first time writing Bat-Mite in a story. **

**Contains spoilers for "Legends Of The Dark-Mite!" and "Emperor Joker!"**

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**There'll Always Be A Batman**

Batman sighed as he entered the Batcave, giving Ace an ear scratch. "Perhaps this result of this last battle will keep Joker where he belongs," he said, though he had a feeling his archnemesis would escape. Somehow, that clown always found a way to escape. He had at first thought Bat-Mite had something to do with that, but he knew that the little guy wouldn't deliberately put innocent lives in danger. He might be one to let his magic go crazy, but Bat-Mite admired Batman too much to let innocents be hurt.

"Batman?" A voice asked meekly.

The Caped Crusader turned to find Bat-Mite floating nearby, but the usually-happy hero looked very sad, more sad than when the two had first met and Batman had explained to his smaller look-alike that being a hero wasn't all fun and games. "Bat-Mite?" He asked. "Is there trouble?"

"N-No," the smaller hero admitted, stammering a little as he seemed a bit embarrassed. He looked up at Batman. "Batman, are you...okay?"

"Yes, I'm alright," the Dark Knight said. "Why do you ask?"

Bat-Mite looked a bit scared. "I...I saw how Joker kept...hurting you," he said, his eyes wide and brimming with tears. "And using my powers to do it."

He sniffled. "I...I didn't mean for Joker to get my powers. They were supposed to go to you to make the fight fair, since that clown and all his goons were ganging up on you."

Batman's face softened. "I know you didn't mean for that to happen, Bat-Mite," he said gently, noticing the little guy was shivering as if cold. "Are you feeling alright?"

Bat-Mite looked at him with tears running down his face. "I...I keep seeing...how you died so many times...in my head," he admitted. "It was so scary, scarier than when I faced all those villains in my world when we first met." He brought out a large hankerchief and blew his nose into it. "What if...that does happen one day? You die and...the villains win?"

"Villains will never win, Bat-Mite," Batman said reassuringly. "Speaking of which, that Mini Joker isn't loose in your world, is he?"

"No, he's locked up where he can't escape, and if he tries, the guards will catch him easily."

The little guy was still sad as the ears of his cowl were drooping and he looked really scared. "Bats, are you sure you're okay? No lasting scars?" He asked.

"I'm okay," the taller hero said reassuringly.

Bat-Mite didn't look so sure. "Can I just x-ray you and see, just to be sure?"

Seeing as the little guy wasn't going to drop the subject until he had seen with his own eyes that his idol was okay, Batman nodded. "Alright," he said.

The smaller hero perked up a little bit, but was still sad as he used his powers to check the adult for injuries, finding only a few cuts and bruises. Reaching out a glowing hand, he healed the minor injuries and Batman noticed he felt much better. "Thank you, Bat-Mite," he said.

"Just a few cuts and bruises," the little guy said, but he still didn't look cheered up. "Batman, I'm serious. What if there was a world without you? What would happen to me or the other Batmans out there?"

The Caped Crusader gave it some thought before looking at the smaller hero. "Do you know about Houdini, one of the greatest magicians?" He asked.

Bat-Mite sniffled, looking up at him. "Yeah?" He asked curiously.

"How many others have tried his tricks or have done them with a flare of their own?"

The little guy gave it some thought. "Well, a lot of them," he said. "Granted, they mostly use distraction and sleight of hand to do most tricks, but some do strive to be like Houdini."

"That's right, because many people admire Houdini," Batman said. "And just as they admire him, I know for a fact there are those that admire me, just as you do, Bat-Mite."

The smaller hero began to see what his idol was driving at. "So...there'll always be someone else to be Batman?" He asked. "But...what if they don't do as good of a job as you?"

"No one starts out knowing how to best handle situations," the taller hero said gently. "A lot of knowledge comes from experience."

"True," Bat-Mite agreed. "I just...,"

Without warning, he flew towards Batman and grabbed the front of his suit with both hands, holding tight. "I JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE AGAIN!" He cried out, his tears flowing faster now. "I HATED SEEING JOKER KILL YOU SO MANY TIMES! I JUST WANTED IT TO STOP!"

With that, Bat-Mite broke down sobbing, clinging to his idol in fear that if he let go, he'd see Batman die all over again.

Batman was shocked to say the least. He knew for the little guy to be this upset, the incident with Joker must have really shaken him up. Then again, who could blame him? Sighing, the Caped Crusader held Bat-Mite as if he was a small child, letting him cry. He didn't say anything, but Ace came up and whimpered a bit. Hearing him, the smaller hero reached out and gently petted Ace, seeming to calm down a bit. Finally, he stopped crying and looked up, wiping his eyes. "Sorry, Batman," he said softly. "I just...I felt so helpless that I couldn't help you."

"But you did," Batman said gently. "You and Harley stopped Joker's goons. That took brains, not powers."

"True," Bat-Mite said, sniffling.

"It allowed me to think of a way to get Joker to lose the powers you had given him."

The small hero looked up at his idol. "R-Really?" He asked.

"Yes," the Caped Crusader said. "You've really matured as a hero, Bat-Mite."

That was the best compliment he had ever received from his idol and Bat-Mite's cowl ears perked up as he looked like his usual self again. "Next time, I'll be more careful with my aim," he promised. "And...do you really think that there'll always be a Batman, even when you are...unable to do it anymore?"

"Yes," Batman said reassuringly. "But it'll be a long time before I stop being able to be Batman."

That made the little hero feel a lot better. "Thanks, Bats," he said. "I better go check and see that Mini Joker is where he needs to be."

"Good idea. But first, do you feel better?"

"Yeah, a lot. Thanks." Bat-Mite then turned a bit red. "Sorry about...losing it like that."

"Don't worry, old chum. It's not good to keep something like that inside. Believe me, I know."

The small hero smiled again before looking thoughtful. "You know, I almost forgot. Sometime back, I met your parents," he said. "They wanted me to give you a message."

Batman looked stunned. "They did?" He asked. "What was the message?"

"Your mom is proud of you and glad that you are willing to help others and your dad is proud of you and that you are a hero and that he had some influence in you becoming Batman." Bat-Mite smiled. "Your mom reminds me of my mom in a lot of ways."

The Caped Crusader smiled. "Thanks, Bat-Mite," he said.

Grinning, the small hero waved a hand and a portal to his world appeared. "Bye, Bats. Can we work together on another case sometime?"

"I'll be sure to let you know if we can," Batman promised. "Good luck to you, Bat-Mite."

"Thanks. You too."

With that, Bat-Mite headed back into the portal, popping out on the other side and was pleased to see that the guards had caught Mini Joker, who had tried to escape. "Oh, you tried to escape, did you?" He asked his archnemesis with a mischievous smile. "Well, we can't have that now. Guards! Take him back inside."

"No! Let go!" Mini Joker cried out, but the guards took him back to his cell and Bat-Mite snapped his fingers, making a table with leather cuffs appear in the middle of the room.

"Strap him down," he said to the guards, who did so despite the villain's struggles. "And now, Mini Joker, let's get a real smile on your face!"

With that and the biggest grin still on his face, Bat-Mite dove his hands down to Mini Joker's stomach and tickled him, making his archnemesis squeal with laughter that echoed. The small hero giggled. "Yeah, there'll always be a Batman to stop criminals like you!" He said gleefully, laughing as Mini Joker's laughter reached another octave as the tickle torture continued.

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**I just had to and I'm not sorry for this one. :) **

**Again, please be gentle in the reviews. Thank you. **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


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